Vacuum bottle filling gauge



June 24 1969v J. c. BRAMLETTE VACUUM BOTTLE FILLING GAUGE Filed March2l, 1967 INVENTOR.

da/f Ac. Bram/effe BY @u WWnWl/awtm Patented June 24, 1969 3,451,371VACUUM BGDTTLE FILLING GAUGE .lack C. Bramlette, Hanford, Calif.,assigner of fifty percent to Levi A. liramlette, Hanford, Calif. FiledMar. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 624,926 Int. Cl. Gtlf 23/06 U.S. Cl. 116-118 9Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A body of buoyant and at least slightlydeformable and resilient material and which is generally conical inconfiguration having a greater height than its maximum Width andwedgingly insertable through the neck of a vacuum bottle in uprightposition whereby as the vacuum bottle is being filled with liquid theminor diameter or apex end portion of the conical body will projectupward- 1y through and above the upper end of the neck of the vacuumbottle as the level of liquid approaches the upper neck portion of thevacuum bottle.

The filling gauge of the instant invention is designed primarily for usein conjunction with narrow mouth vacuum bottles which are somewhatdifficult to fill to the proper desired level since the internalsurfaces of the vacuum bottle reflect light and the opening downwardthrough narrow necked vacuum bottles is relatively small and therefore aperson filling the vacuum bottle has difficulty in visually ascertainingthe level to which the vacuum bottle has been filled, especially if thevacuum bottle is being filled with hot fiuid from which vapor is risingthrough the neck of the bottle.

The filling gauge of the instant invention is constructed in a mannerwhereby it may be wedgingly downwardly inserted through the narrow neckof a vacuum bottle and includes an upwardly tapering body whose minordiameter or apex end portion is adapted to project outwardly of thebottle as the liquid within the bottle approaches the narrow neckportion thereof. Further, the upper end of the buoyant body comprisingthe filling gauge of the instant invention is also tapered in a mannerto prevent liquids being poured into an associated vacuum bottle fromspattering as the upper end portion of the filling gauge moves upwardlythrough the small neck of the vacuum bottle. Still further, the buoyantbody is provided lwith circumferentially spaced, longitudinallyextending and generally radially outwardly opening channels whereby evenas the conical body is about to be seated in the inner end of the neckof an associated bottle fluids being poured into the bottle may fiowdownwardly past the body and air entrapped within the associated vacuumbottle may be vented to the ambient atmosphere.

The main object of this invention is to provide a vacuum bottle fillinggauge readily insertable into substantially all vacuum bottles includingneck portions having corresponding inside diameter dimensions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a filling gauge whichwill only slightly reduce the effective internal volume of an associatedvacuum bottle.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a filling gaugereadily insertable into an associated vacuum bottle and which will notadversely affect venting of the interior of the vacuum bottle to theambient atmosphere or liquids being poured into the associated vacuumbottle.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide a vacuum bottle filling gauge which will conform to theconventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy touse so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, longlasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the vacuum bottle filling gauge of theinstant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the filling gauge;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational vie-w of the filling gauge;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the filling gauge; and

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane passing through the center of a conventional form ofvacuum bottle with the filling gauge of the instant inventionoperatively associated therewith and an alternate position of thefilling gauge illustrated in phantom lines.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generallydesignates a conventional form of vacuum bottle including an outer shellportion 12 and an inner insulative and liquid reservoir defining portion14 including a reduced diameter neck portion 16 in which a stopper isadapted to be seatingly received.

The filling gauge of the instant invention is referred to in general bythe reference numeral 18 and comprises a body 2f) constructed of buoyantand at least slightly deformable material and which is generally conicalin configuration. The body 20 includes an upper apex end portion 22which is rounded as at 24 and a major diameter lower end portion 26including a fiat under surface 28.

The body 20 includes a pair of circumferentially spaced, upstanding andgenerally diametrically opposite longitudinally extending and radiallyoutwardly opening grooves or channels 3l) defining both air ventpassages and liquid passages as will be hereinafter more fully setforth. The lower major diameter end portion 26 of the body 2()` is of adiameter slightly greater than the inside diameter of the neck portion16 but the body 20 is sufficiently deformable so as to be wedginglyforced downward through the neck portion 16 in an upright position sothat the body 2l) will assume the position thereof illustrated in solidlines in FIGURE 5 of the drawings when the vacuum bottle 1li ispartially filled with the liquid 34.

The body 20 is approximately twice as high as its its major width at itslower major diameter end portion 26 and the side walls 36 of the body 20are inclined appreciably less than 30 degrees relative to the verticalcenterline of the body Ztl.

The weight of the body as compared to the volume of the lower halfthereof is such that the body will fioat in a liquid such as water withapproximately the upper half of the body projecting above the surface ofthe liquid. Therefore, as will be noted from FIGURE 5 of the drawings,the body 2f) may fioat in the liquid 34 with a greater portion of itsvertical height projecting above the level 40 of the liquid 34. ln thismanner, as the level 40 approaches the upper level 42 the apex endportion 22 of the body Ztl will project upwardly through the neckportion 16 and thus be readily visible to a person pouring the liquid 34into the vacuum bottle 10. Further, the channels or grooves 30 preventthe major diameter end portion 26 of the body 20 from sealing the innerend of the neck portion 16 so as to prevent liquid 34 being poured intothe vacuum bottle 10 from being blocked by the body 20. Further, thegrooves 36 also provide a means for maintaining the interior of thevacuum bottle lil vented to the ambient atmosphere and also diametericfinger receiving recesses at the apex end portion 22 of the body 20 tofacilitate in manual withdrawal of the body 20 from the vacuum bottle10.

Inasmuch as the lower end of the body 20 is disposed below the level 42when the vacuum bottle 10 is almost completely full of the liquid 34, asthe liquid level 42 is raised further upward toward the upper end of theneck portion 16 and the body 20 approaches a position with its lowermajor diameter end portion 26 seated in the inner end of the neckportion 16 the upper end of the body 20 may be readily grasped so as tomanually withdraw the body 20 from the vacuum bottle lfl which will ofcourse result in the level of the liquid 34 in the upper portion of theneck portion 16 dropping to approximately the level 42 whereupon, aftera cork is seated in the neck portion 16, the vacuum bottle will befilled substantially to its maximum with the level 42 spaced onlyslightly beneath the cork (not shown).

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A filling gauge for a container of the type including a neck ofreduced inside diameter and adapted to be filled by pouring liquidthereinto through said neck, said gauge comprising a body of buoyant andat least slightly deformable material, said body being generally conicalin configuration and including a lower major diameter end and an upperapex end, said major diameter end being of a diameter adapted to beslightly greater than the inside diameter of said neck and said materialbeing sufficiently deformable so as to be adapted to be forceddownwardly through said neck without great difiiculty, the height ofsaid body being appreciably greater than the width of the major diameterend thereof and said apex end being adapted to project upwardly throughsaid neck to a point above the upper end thereof when said body isbuoyed up in said bottle upon filling the latter with liquid such ascoffee until said major diameter end abuts and is therefore preventedfrom passing upwardly through the lower end of said neck, said bodyincluding circumferentially spaced, upstanding and generally radiallyoutwardly opening grooves.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body includes inclined sidesurface portions inclined less than 30 degrees relative to the verticalcenterline of said body.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the weight of said body ascompared to the volume of the lower half thereof is such that said bodywill float in a liquid such as water with approximately the upper halfof said body projecting above the surface of the liquid.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the upper ends of said groovesopen through the inclined side surfaces of said body adjacent the upperterminal end thereof,

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said grooves are disposedgenerally in diametrically opposite side portions of said body.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the upper end portions of saidgrooves are sufficiently wide so as to be adapted to at least partiallyreceive therein the opposing portions of a persons thumb and forefingerbetween which the upper portion of said body is being gripped.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said body includes upstanding sidesurface portions inclined less than 30 degrees relative to the verticalcenterline of said body.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the upper ends of said groovesOpen through the inclined side surfaces 0f said body adjacent the upperterminal end thereof.

9. A filling gauge for a container of the type including a neck ofreduced inside diameter and adapted to be filled by pouring liquidthereinto through said neck, said gauge comprising a body of buoyant andat least slightly deformable material, said body being generally conicalin configuration and including a lower major diameter end and an upperapex end, said major diameter end being of a diameter adapted to beslightly greater than the inside diameter of said neck and said materialbeing sufficiently deformable so as to be adapted to be forceddownwardly through said neck without great diiculty, the height of saidbody being appreciably greater than the width of the major diameterrendthereof and said apex end being adapted to project upwardly through saidneck to a point above the upper end thereof when said body is buoyed upin said bottle upon filling the latter with liquid such as coffee untilsaid major diameter end abuts and is therefore prevented from passingupwardly through the lower end of said neck, the weight of said body ascompared to the volume of the lower half thereof being such that saidbody will float in a liquid such as with approximately the upper half ofsaid body projecting above the surface of the liquid, said bodyincluding circumferentially spaced, upstanding and generally radiallyoutwardly opening grooves.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,508,829 9/1924 Woodbridge.

1,878,947 9/1932 Luff et al. 73-322.5 X

2,375,406 5/1945 Drown 73-322.5 X 2,550,152 4/ 1951 Kennedy.

2,738,675 3/1956 Blair 73-322 LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner.

DANIEL M. YASICH, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 73-322.5

